Legislation passes New York State Senate to allow police and firefighters to carry EpiPens

VIDEO: Legislation passed the New York State Senate Monday that would allow law enforcement and firefighters to carry EpiPens to help save lives. Under current law, they’re not allowed to carry or administer EpiPens. “There are a certain number of individuals who are identified in the law, which says you can carry an EpiPen and they weren't on the list unfortunately,” said Senator Jim Tedisco (R). Tedisco co-sponsored the bill that will allow law enforcement officers outside of New York City to carry and administer EpiPens. As well as firefighters, who weren’t included in the original bill but Tedisco said they asked to be added. EpiPens are used to reverse the effects of a severe allergic reaction. Right now, the list that allows people to carry them includes EMT’s and people who work with children. Tedisco said he heard from many agencies in his district who said they would want their officers to carry them.
WNYT-TV NBC 13 Albany

3rd-generation Arizona firefighter loses battle to occupational cancer at 31

The Phoenix Fire Department is mourning the loss of a 31-year-old Phoenix firefighter who lost his battle to occupational cancer on Sunday morning. Brian Beck Jr., a third-generation firefighter, was an eight-year veteran with the Phoenix Fire Department, while mostly working at Fire Station 33 in north Phoenix, according to the United Phoenix Firefighters, a nonprofit organization. Beck Jr. is the second Phoenix firefighter who died from occupational cancer this year, according to the United Phoenix Firefighters. Occupational cancer is cancer caused by occupation hazards. In a post on a Facebook page titled Support For Firefighter Brian Beck Jr, Beck's father, who is a retired Phoenix fire captain with 33 years of service, stated his son was diagnosed a year ago with malignant melanoma cancer. Beck Jr.'s cancer is considered job-related under House Bill 2161, which was signed by Gov. Doug Ducey in 2017. Beck Jr. leaves behind his wife and three young children, the United Phoenix Firefighters posted. Beck Jr. will be memorialized by the Phoenix Fire Department as a line-of-duty death, according to the United Phoenix Firefighters.
AZ Central - Metered Site

Iowa Fire Department Hosts its First Special Needs Open House

VIDEO: The Ankeny Fire Department is hosting its first Special Needs open house for people with disabilities. The idea to have a separate night for families with disabilities came when community members saw a need for it. Ankeny Fire Department Public Education Coordinator and Firefighter Karen Peters said, “They really are a high-risk group as far as fire and fire safety. We want to be able to give them and their families the extra time they need to develop plans.” The open house allows families to take the time and go over emergency plans multiple times with first responders. In addition, people learn about the dangers when it comes to house poisons, different types of smoke alarms and alert devices for people who are hard of hearing or deaf, CPR training, how to use a fire extinguisher and more. Peters said parents will be able to try on masks firefighters wear to show children that the first responders are friendly and trustworthy.
WHO-TV NBC 13 Des Moines

Fire Training Facility Near Ohio Elementary School Draws Scrutiny

Less than 700 feet from Millvale’s Ethel M. Taylor Academy, a Cincinnati public elementary school, bombs have been going off for years and a building is often on fire. Don’t call emergency responders. They already know. For years, the Cincinnati Fire Department has been setting cars and a specially-designed $3 million building alight to train fire recruits at 1898 Mill Creek Road. CFD also performs bomb training and explosives disposal in a special facility there. Lately, some residents of Millvale and nearby communities — especially those with children at Taylor — have complained about the noise, smoke and potential health and environmental impacts associated with the site. In addition to the elementary school, a Cincinnati Recreation Center and a daycare are nearby. Residents' worries are just the latest in a long line of concerns with pollution and air quality in the low-income, predominantly African American communities nestled next to the one-time industrial corridor along Beekman Street and the Mill Creek. CFD says it is listening and working to mitigate problems — but a complete fix may take a long-term effort.
CityBeat

Florida fire department wants to become state-recognized fire district

VIDEO: The Navarre Beach Fire Department wants to become a state-recognized fire district. Right now, they're privately owned. Fire Chief Danny Fureigh is asking the county to approve a non-binding referendum on the county's special election ballot in August to gauge how voters feel. Fureigh said state lawmakers want to know they have the community's support before they ask the legislature to make the Navarre Beach Fire Department state-recognized. He told Channel 3 News he wants his full-time firefighters to retire with a state pension. Right now, the privately-owned department can't fund that. Fureigh said the change will also allow the department to apply for state funding for new equipment. "So, what it's actually doing is rewarding our firefighters with a pension. We have some great firemen here who have been here a long time and they deserve a good pension," said Fureigh.
WEAR-TV ABC 3 Pensacola

North Dakota police, firefighters to get raises after local, regional salary comparisons

VIDEO: Fargo police officer and president of the city's police organization Mike Clower "absolutely" thinks action taken Monday night, May 20, to raise salaries for most police officers and firefighters in the city will help attract and retain employees. Clower, interviewed after a 4-1 favorable Fargo City Commission meeting vote, said he believes officers will be "quite pleased" with the decision to increase step pay for workers in the two departments with increases starting in the second year and continuing until they reach a maximum salary after about eight years. The increases affect about 172 police officers and 120 firefighters or about 30 percent of the city workforce. The raises will be retroactive to the beginning of the year. In all, the increases this year will cost the city about $473,812 as the raises mostly boost pay instead of 2% to 3% per year to 5 to 6%.
INFORUM

Florida city leaders vote in favor of fire department merger

Jacksonville Beach city leaders met Monday night and voted in favor of a plan to merge the city’s fire department with the Jacksonville Fire and Rescue Department. The City of Jacksonville still has to vote. If the merger happens, JFRD would provide services to people living in Jacksonville Beach. The proposal has been faced with opposition. According to a recent poll conducted by the University of North Florida, 46% of registered voters who were surveyed support Jacksonville Beach contracting out its fire services to the city of Jacksonville, while 41% oppose it. Some in favor of the move said it would make a positive difference by providing better staffing to prevent fatigue and would also increase the opportunities for promotion and improve training. Those against the proposal worry it would make response times longer.
News 4 JAX

Minnesota woman gives kidney to firefighter who came to her rescue

A Minnesota woman has given a kidney to a firefighter who once answered her call for help. Becca Bundy spotted Bill Cox tending bar last fall. The Bearville volunteer firefighter was wearing a T-shirt on which he wrote a plea for a donor. “I couldn't get it out of my head,” Becca said. “I just said, ‘I'm the one and I know it.’”Two years earlier, Bill was the first responder who rushed to Becca’s home when her 1-year-old daughter Hadley suffered a seizure. “He seemed to care, it wasn’t just another call,” Becca remembered of the encounter. When Becca saw Bill tending bar in the T-shirt, “I thought that was a way I could certainly say thank you.” Testing proved Becca was indeed a match. The surgery took place in February at University of Minnesota Medical Center, where one of Becca’s healthy kidneys was transplanted into Bill.
KARE 11

Income tax exemption for New York volunteer firefighters, EMTs being considered

VIDEO: A bill in the New York State legislature aims to help volunteer first responders out with their bills. EMTs and firefighters often put themselves in dangerous situations to keep others safe. “I love comforting people. I love being there for people, saving people. I feel like it's what I'm meant to do,” Emily Evans, volunteer firefighter & EMT, said. Evans is a volunteer firefighter and EMT in Coxsackie. She's supporting new legislation that would provide state income tax exemptions to people like herself. “I am volunteering at the moment but eventually I will be getting an EMT job and I really want to get all the experience I can to be a paramedic and just be the best I can be.” In order to qualify volunteer firefighters and ambulance workers would need to have a year of service completed, finished all training courses required by New York State, have their county certification and been present for more than 55 percent of annual calls.
ABC News 10